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Gibson agrees to Bobblehead Night in LA

Gibson agrees to Bobblehead Night in LA

LOS ANGELES -- It took some convincing, but D-backs manager Kirk Gibson eventually agreed to allow the Dodgers to hold Kirk Gibson Bobblehead Night on Tuesday.

Gibson typically shuns the spotlight, especially when it comes to individual awards or recognition.

"Actually, it's not my style, to be honest with you," Gibson said. "I guess I've changed a little bit over the years. I dislike the Dodgers and I say that in a competitive respectful way, and yet I do have a history here. A very cool thing happened while I was here, I got to experience a world championship with some great teammates."

The bobblehead features Gibson in his home run trot after his legendary homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. The right arm on the bobblehead moves simulating the fist pump that Gibson displayed as he rounded second base.

Gibson declined the Dodgers' invitation to throw out the first pitch, and instead requested that Dodgers clubhouse manager Mitch Poole do it. Poole was a bat boy in 1988, and he was the one who put the balls on the batting tee as Gibson took some swings in the batting cage to determine if he would be available to pinch-hit. It was Poole who was dispatched from the cage to the dugout to let then-manager Tommy Lasorda know that Gibson was ready.

Speaking of Lasorda, he visited with Gibson in the visiting manager's office for about 20 minutes on Tuesday.

"He told me some stories that he thought I might have forgotten," Gibson said with a smile.

Lasorda also good-naturedly chastised Gibson for hating the Dodgers.

"He said, 'Let me remind you that if you don't bleed Dodger blue then you're not going to go to heaven,'" Gibson said.